


Stay

by dontcare77ghj



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Parent Bucky Barnes, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Reader has a child, Single Parents, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:00:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28647945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontcare77ghj/pseuds/dontcare77ghj
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 56





	Stay

Steve x reader x Bucky

When you were nineteen, you fell in love. Micheal Procter was your age, and the two of you had gone to school together for most of your life. Micheal was always kind to you, always treated you with respect. He made you feel like the only girl in the world.

Except you weren't the only girl in his world.

Micheal had been having a string of affairs throughout the entirety of your relationship, not that knew. You weren't clued in until long after you ended the relationship.

You didn't know until long after you were pregnant. 

At twenty-one, you found out you and Micheal were going to have a baby. At first, you were scared. Your career was just starting to take off, and you didn't want to put it on hold. 

But you'd always wanted a family, and when you heard the baby's heartbeat at that first ultrasound, you knew you wanted to keep her. 

But that was when Micheal turned. That was when he started to milk the pregnancy, play the part of the devoted father in public, and ignore you in private. Well, not ignore you. Micheal needed to talk to you when he needed money.

And so you snapped out of it. 

This was not love. This was not what you wanted or needed in life anymore. 

Your father had helped you leave. Had moved you into his home until you were ready to move out and had his lawyers deal with Micheal.

You could never thank your father more after that day.

And now, your daughter was five. Your career had blossomed, and you were managing to successfully balance work and home life. And though you hadn't been with anyone in a romantic sense since your daughter's birth, you couldn't find yourself to care.

You had no need for a partner, or partners, who wouldn't be there for you or your daughter.

"Charlotte Maria Stark, you cannot take all your toys." You sighed, looking at the mountain of toys she intended to take.

"But Momma, they'll miss me." Charlotte pouted.

"Sweetheart, we're only going to be gone for two weeks. And if you bring all your toys, you won't have enough room in your suitcase to bring home anymore." You reasoned with the doe-eyed child. 

Your birthday was coming up in two days, and you and Charlotte were preparing to spend two weeks in New York with your father and his team. You had packed both your and your daughter's bags for the two weeks, but the five-year-old was insistent on repacking her bag.

"Can I still bring one?" She asked after thinking for a minute.

"You can bring two." You relented, causing Charlotte to throw her arms around your neck tightly.

"Thank you, Momma!" Maria squealed before launching off you and grabbing her Iron Man plushie that your father had given her and a plush cat that you gave her. "I love you, Momma."

"I love you too, baby." You smiled and pulled her into another embrace. "Momma loves you so much."

"There's my girls!" Tony exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "How was the trip over? Was the plane okay? Did Happy annoy you too much on the drive?" He asked as Charlotte bounded over and attacked the man.

"The trip was great, the plane was fantastic, and Happy is never annoying." You said as you walked over to hug your father. "You should cut him some slack. He's got to deal with you all day after all."

"Don't I know it." Tony snorted, pulling you into a one-armed embrace. "Come on, you two, there's a room full of people wanting to see you again," Tony said, leading you both over to the elevator.

"Already trying to pawn us off?" You joked.

"Just you. I'm going to keep this one all to myself." He continued with the joke, pulling your daughter closer.

"There they are!" Pepper cheered as you all entered. "How was the flight over?" She asked, bringing you into an embrace.

"It was fantastic. Thank you for helping me book it." You told the woman.

"Of course, I'd help you. You're just like your father when it comes to booking flights." Pepper smiled, brushing your hair behind your ear. "Terrible." She chuckled.

Though Pepper wasn't your biological mother, you saw her as such. She had always treated you like her own even before she was with your father.

"There's my favorite Stark!" Bucky called, walking over to your small group with Steve behind him. "How's my favorite munchkin doing?" Bucky asked, stealing Charlotte away in his arms.

"It's great to see you again, Y/N," Steve said, pulling you into an embrace while your daughter talked his boyfriend's ear off.

"You too, Steve." You grinned as he wrapped an arm around your waist.

"How's my second favorite Stark family member?" Bucky asked, turning to you with your daughter happily nestled in his arms.

"Wait, if she's second, where am I on the list?" Tony cut in.

"A solid fourth. Right under your wife." Bucky informed him. 

"Real nice, Barnes."

"Ma always said women are better than men. She'd smack me with a spoon if I said otherwise." Bucky shrugged.

"Well, your mother sounds like a genius." You said, grinning at the man. 

"She certainly was. Are you ready for tonight, Y/N?" Bucky questioned you.

"What's tonight?" Charlotte asked, tilting her head at the man.

"Well, tonight we're going to have a big dinner to welcome you two back. And then when you, little miss, go to sleep, the adults are going to drink." Bucky explained.

"Drink what?"

"Apple juice." You told her quickly. "We're going to drink a lot of apple juice."

"Can I have some apple juice, please, Momma?" Charlotte asked, giving you her patented pout. "Please, poppy?" She begged, turning to Tony.

"Of course, sweetheart," Tony said, taking the girl back into his arms. "Let's go find you some kid-friendly apple juice." He said as he and Pepper left, leaving you with Steve and Bucky.

"How have you been doing, Y/N?" Bucky asked, throwing his arm around your shoulder and beginning to lead you to the couch.

"I've been doing well. Charlotte's been keeping me on my toes, so this is my first break in a while." You said, taking a seat between the two.

"I take it that means you haven't been hitting the town every night with a man?" Bucky teased.

"I haven't had a man since Charlotte was born." You snorted. "And even then, he was more a boy than a man."

"So what you're saying is you want a man?" Steve questioned you.

"What I want doesn't matter anymore. I have Charlotte to think about, and I'm not going to bring someone into her life who isn't willing to be there for her too." You clarified. "My daughter is my priority in life, and most of the men I know don't understand that."

"I'm sure we could find some men like that. In fact, I think we know two." Bucky mentioned.

"Oh yeah? Who?" You asked, raising a brow at the two.

"Why wasn't I told you were here already?" Natasha asked, suddenly appearing in the room and interrupting your conversation. "Unacceptable."

"Maybe it's because you stole her away last time she was here." Bucky shook her head.

"Well, I'm going to do it again," Natasha said, pulling you to your feet and taking your hand. "I passed Tony, and he said he's stealing the munchkin until tonight, so you, my friend, need some girl time." She said, pulling you toward the elevator.

"I'll see you two later." You turned your head and called back to the boys. "I want those names, Barnes!"

Non-reader POV

"Fucking hell," Bucky swore as the doors closed.

"I told you not to take Natasha's yogurt. I told you she'd get revenge." Steve shook his head at his boyfriend. "We'll get our chance, Buck." He promised, taking Bucky's hand.

"Before she goes home this time," Bucky said. "We tell her before she leaves this time."

Reader POV

"Alright, the baby is in bed. Let's break out the apple juice!" Tony cheered as you re-entered the room.

"Ha-ha." You rolled your eyes, accepting the drink from Steve. "You're such an ass sometimes."

"You're just working that out now?" Clint snorted loudly. "How long did you live with him?"

"Fuck you, Katniss." Tony shook his head. "Don't forget you live here half the year. Don't think I don't know any of your annoying traits."

"Ah, so you admit you're annoying." Natasha nodded. "Thank God you finally figured it out." She added, causing the rest of you to chuckle.

"That's it. I'm kicking you all out." Tony declared. "Everyone in this room. You're all assholes, and I refuse to live with you any longer."

"You can't kick me out. I'd take Charlotte, and we don't even live here." You pointed out.

"And we all know Pepper would kick you out before you kick her out," Steve said, causing Pepper to raise her glass of wine in acknowledgment.

"Lighten up, Stark, you'd be bored without us, and you know it," Bucky told your father. 

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

For hours you all continued to drink, eat, and tell stories. The atmosphere was incredibly carefree as you all continued to talk and laugh at one another's stories.

"I'll be back. I gotta see who this is." You told Natasha as you stood, grabbing your vibrating phone. "I want to hear the rest of the story when I get back, though." You informed the woman.

"You got it." Natasha nodded, raising her beer at you. Walking out of the room and onto the balcony, you finally answered the determined number.

"Hello, this is Y/N L/N." You greeted. "How can I help you?"

In an attempt to be recognized for your own work and efforts in life, professionally, you preferred to be known by your mother's last name.

"Hi Y/N." Melissa, your assistant, greeted you. "I know you said you wanted to be left alone, but I've got eight messages from a man named Micheal Procter who claims they're urgent. Do you want me to send them through?"

"No." You denied immediately. "Delete any messages from him. From now on, any messages from Micheal are to be deleted. His calls are to be blocked, and he is not allowed in our offices."

"Of course, I'll make sure security knows," Melissa informed you before hanging up.

You let out a deep sigh as you put your head in your hands. You didn't need this. Not now, and not ever again.

"You look like you could use another drink," Bucky said as he and Steve appeared on the balcony.

"You could definitely say that." You snorted, shaking your head.

"Anything we could help you with, doll?" Steve questioned you.

"No, I've got Melissa handling it." You told him.

"Melissa seems like a good friend. Are you going to bring her here with you?" Bucky asked you.

"Dad spoiled the surprise?" You asked, raising a brow.

"Pepper, actually," Steve told you. "How come you didn't tell us earlier you two were moving here?"

You had more than one reason for coming down to New York for two weeks. One of those reasons had been to start the process of taking over as CEO of Stark Industries.

"I was going to tell you all soon, but I got distracted." You shrugged. "Dad and Pepper are getting up there in years, and Stark Industries is our family's business. I want to keep it going down the path it is." You told them.

"That's real sweet, Y/N," Bucky told you.

"When are you moving down?" Steve questioned you.

"Next month." You told him. "I've still got to sort some things out at work, and I've got to change Charlotte's school and enroll her in a new one. There's a lot of things to do."

"You sound stressed, doll," Bucky commented. 

"I am stressed." You agreed. "I feel like I'm just constantly on."

"Well, what if there was a chance to turn off for a while?" Steve suggested. "You know, have dinner and maybe go bowling with us?"

"Like a date?"

"Exactly like a date." Bucky agreed. "If you're interested, we'd like to take you on a date, doll."

"I don't have the luxury of casually dating, you know that."

"We're not asking for a casual date," Steve assured you. "We'd like a relationship with you."

"And we know Charlotte comes first, and that's why we want her to come with us. We'll take the two of you out to dinner, and we'll go bowling together. We know how you feel about Charlotte and about dating, and we agree." Bucky started.

"She shouldn't have to get used to a man waltzing in and out of her life. And so, if you let us, we'll stay. We've liked you for a really long time, Y/N." Steve added.

"To stay with me is to stay with Char. To know that she's my first priority in life." You warned the two.

"We know."

"I haven't been bowling in years." You said after a minute. "And I've never taken Char before."

"It's a good thing I'm a fantastic bowler then." Bucky grinned.

"Are you three making a mess of my kitchen?" You asked, entering the said room as you tied your dressing gown.

"No, Momma! Buck's making pancakes!" Charlotte cheered, rushing forward and jumping into your arms.

"Oh, is he now? I suppose I can make an exception for pancakes." You reasoned, moving over to Steve and pecking his lips before doing the same to Bucky. "Morning, boys."

It had been almost a year since Steve and Bucky had asked you out on a date. And so far, they weren't joking when they said they were serious about being with you, and being there for Charlotte.

"You were supposed to still be in bed," Bucky said, pointing the spatula at you. "We were going to bring you breakfast when it was done."

"What can I say? You've spoiled me. I can't sleep without my human space heater anymore." You smiled at Steve, who shook his head.

"I'm not that warm." He denied.

"You've always run hot. Even when you were this tiny little thing, you ran hotter than everyone." Bucky told him.

"I'm cold," Charlotte announced, interrupting your conversation.

"That won't do, will it, munchkin?" Steve asked, taking her gently out of your hold. "Is that better?"

Charlotte didn't say anything merely hummed as she leaned closer to Steve's chest.

"I think that's your answer, hon." You laughed as the doorbell rang. "I'll get it. Save me a pancake or two." You told the three before making your way to the door. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I have news for you," Tony said. "And it might ruin your morning." He added, inviting himself in.

"Great." You sighed, closing the door and watching as he sat down. "What happened now?"

"Micheal's suing for custody." He told you. 

"No, he can't do that." You denied immediately. "He signed his rights away. He can't just change his mind."

"He's been working on his case for a year." Your father said. "His lawyer thinks he has a shot, but he's not as good as ours. Ours think we can get this thrown out before it becomes a full court case." He added as you sat on the couch. "He's not going to take Char from you, sweetheart."

"Doll, is everything okay? Charlotte says she's going to eat all the pancakes if you don't hurry back." Steve said, entering the room. "Oh, Tony, I didn't know you were coming over for breakfast."

"I wasn't," Tony told him.

"What's going on?" Steve asked, looking between the two of you. 

"Dad can tell you and Buck." You said, standing from the couch. "I'm going to get dressed and dress Charlotte." You added and left to get your daughter.

"Sweetheart, come to bed. He's not going to take her from her bed." Steve said from the doorway. 

You had refused to leave your daughter today. As if she would disappear if she was out of your sight. And even now, after you had read her to sleep and she had been sleeping for almost two hours, you wouldn't leave her. 

"Y/N, you're going to scare her. Come on." Steve said, taking a step forward with his hand out.

You let Steve take your hand and gently lead you out of Charlotte's bedroom and into your bedroom where Bucky was waiting.

"She asleep?" Bucky asked as Steve led you over to the bed.

"For now." You nodded, crawling in beside Bucky.

"Doll, he's not going to take her from you," Bucky promised, wrapping his arm around your waist. "No judge would take her from you. You're a fantastic parent."

"But what if the judge doesn't see that? What if he decides to give Micheal full custody?" You asked as Steve crawled in behind you.

"Then we'll help you fight. We'll help you fight for her." Steve told you, and Bucky nodded.

"I love you." You murmured, looking between the two men. "And I trust you, I trust you with my daughter. That's bigger for me than saying I love you."

"We love you too, doll," Bucky said as he and Steve curled closer to you. 

"And we'd never break your trust."

"Y/N, you gotta stop pacing," Bucky said, taking your hand and pulling you beside him.

"I'm nervous. I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack." You sighed, leaning back in your chair.

Today was the day. The day a judge would decide whether or not you kept your daughter.

Charlotte was now in the room with the judge after both your lawyer and Micheal's presented their cases to him. Micheal hadn't shown up yet.

"Are you having a panic attack?" Your father asked from his seat with Pepper beside him.

"No, no, I don't think so." You shook your head. "I'm just scared."

"You have nothing to be scared about, Y/N," Steve promised you as he took your hand. "Charlotte's coming home with us."

"My daughter isn't going anywhere with you," Micheal said, walking towards the five of you.

"She's never been your daughter. You made sure of that when you signed your rights away." You said, rising to a stand, with Steve and Bucky not far behind you.

"I was never given a chance to be her father, Y/N. You made sure of that." Micheal scoffed.

"You were using me for the entirety of our relationship. You were cheating on me with anything that moved. You've never been father material." You told him, narrowing your eyes.

"Like you can talk, Y/N. Look at you now, with two men yourself. You're more like me than you think."

"Y/N is nothing like you." Steve cut in. "The two of us are perfectly aware of one another, and she is aware of our relationship. The three of us are in a consensual relationship, one where we talk to each other."

"And one where we don't cheat on one another." Bucky snorted. "And unlike you, Y/N isn't using us for our name or our worth. The two of you have nothing in common apart from the girl in there."

"A girl who you're nothing but a sperm donor to." You agreed as you took both men's hands. "She's not going anywhere with you. She doesn't even know you."

Before Micheal could open his mouth to retort, the door opened, and Charlotte raced out with both lawyers not far behind her.

"Well?" Micheal demanded as Charlotte jumped into your arms. "When do I get to take my kid home?"

"You don't." Your lawyer told him with a smirk. "The judge ruled that Charlotte is in better care of her mother and fathers."

"Excuse me?" Micheal demanded.

"All Charlotte could talk about was how happy being with her Momma, Dad, and Daidí." He told Micheal. "The judge ruled that Y/N can provide a better and more stable home for her and love for Charlotte. The judge also ruled that she and her partners can supply a loving home for Charlotte. They denied you any right to her."

"What the fuck am I paying you for?" Micheal began to scream at his lawyer.

While Micheal began to rant and rave at his poor lawyer, the rest of you left the building, with you gripping Charlotte tightly. After thanking your lawyer profusely, you turned back to your entourage.

"Now that this is all over, what's say we get something to eat?" Tony asked as Steve wrapped an arm around your waist, and Bucky wrapped one around your shoulders.

"That sounds fantastic." You sighed, looking at your daughter. "What do you say, Char? Are you hungry?"

"Can we have ice cream?" She asked, looking at you with her wide doe-eyes. "Please?" She begged, looking between Steve and Bucky.

"You can have all the ice-cream you want," Bucky said, pinching her cheek lightly.

"Yes!"

"She called you both dad today." You murmured later that night. After celebrating today's win, the four of you had returned to your apartment and spent the rest of the day together.

It was now late at night, and the four of you were sitting on the couch, Charlotte asleep between you.

"Are you okay with that?" You asked them.

"Shouldn’t we be asking you if you’re okay with it?” Bucky questioned you.

“I’m happy with the two of you. I don’t want to picture a life without either of you, and for my daughter to call you both dad. It feels like a good sign to me.” You told them.

“There’s still a part of you that’s scared we’re going to leave.” Steve said.

“Maybe.” You admitted, biting your lip. 

“Doll, neither of us want to leave.” Bucky told you.

“Neither of us want to picture a life without either of you into either.” Steve said. “I’m happy she sees me as a father, and as long as she’s comfortable she call me dad.”

“I feel the same way, sweetheart.” Bucky promised you. “Maybe a way we can help, ease the back of your mind is we talk about something really committed.”

“If you propose I will kick you.” You warned him.

“We’re not proposing.” Steve promised you with a chuckle.

“We were wondering if maybe you’d want to move in with us?” Bucky asked. “Or we can move in with you? Or we can all get a new place?”

“I’d love to live with you both full time.” You smiled at the two. “But maybe we should look into in the morning, and we can just go to bed now?” You suggested.

“I love the way you think.” Bucky said, leaning over and kissing you before taking Charlotte into his arms. “I’ll put the munchkin to bed.” He told you.

“So the two of you are really staying?” You whispered as three of you got into bed.

“We’re staying.”

“Just try to get rid of us, doll.”

“Never.”


End file.
